Words and Spelling Tips from 2019 Spell It!

Words from Latin: Study Words inane benefactor ingenious reptile relevant candidate retrospective providence impetuous bugle ominous message ambivalent formidable vulnerable foliate dejected canary omnipotent nasal postmortem subterfuge consensus opera incriminate abdicate discipline renovate access lunatic alleviate credentials plausible carnivore [5] spectrum temporal interrupt [1] gregarious prescription canine alliteration ostentatious capitulation measure refugee prosaic [6] incredulous credible amicable herbivore affinity femininity lucid [2] prodigal necessary confidence percolate magnanimous adjacent triumvirate meticulous benevolent dissect popularity fastidious mercurial conjecture diary trajectory simile imperative humble animosity jovial predicate vivisection implement ridiculous corporal strict ambiguity innate patina prosecute curriculum obstinate Capricorn contiguous omnivorous discern participant ductile bellicose mediocre library gradient electoral insidious cognition current crescent [3] rupture primal perfidy obsequious precipitate filament fidelity transect erudite unity incorruptible precipice colloquial ventilate susceptible intractable aquatic condolences [4] exuberant [7] igneous

Words from Latin: Challenge Words soliloquy indigenous precocious egregious accommodate belligerent ameliorate aggregate pernicious [8] vernacular commensurate tertiary efficacy infinitesimal facetious corpuscle visceral recalcitrant prerogative perennial exacerbate innocuous ubiquitous

1. One of the hardest things to remember about words from Latin is whether an internal consonant (like rr in interrupt) is doubled. To reinforce your memory of the correct spelling, try to remember related words all together (like interrupt along with interruption or necessary along with necessity).

2. The \ü\ sound (as in ooze) is nearly always spelled with u in words from Latin. It typically follows a \d\, \j\, \l\, \r\, or \s\ sound. After other consonants, this sound normally becomes \yü\ (as in bugle, subterfuge, ambiguity, and prosecute and in one pronunciation of refugee).

3. Beware of words like crescent in which the \s\ sound is spelled with sc in words from Latin. Other examples include visceral, discern, discipline, susceptible, and corpuscle.

4. When you hear within a word from Latin the \s\ sound followed by any of the sounds of e (long, short, or schwa), there's a possibility that the \s\ sound is spelled with c as in exacerbate, access, adjacent, condolences, facetious, and necessary.

5. The letter i is a vowel often used to connect two Latin word elements. If the connecting vowel sound is a schwa (\ə\) and you must guess at the spelling of this sound, the letter i might be a good guess: See carnivore and herbivore. Other examples include non–study-list words that end in iform such as oviform and pediform.

6. The letter k rarely appears in words from Latin, and its sound is nearly always represented by c as in canary, prosaic, canine, mediocre, Capricorn, cognition, ductile, incorruptible, vernacular, innocuous, and many other words on the list.

7. The letter x often gets the pronunciation \gz\ in words from Latin (as in exacerbate and exuberant).

8. The combination ious ends many adjectives of Latin origin. When the consonant that precedes ious is c or t, the sound of the final syllable is \shəs\ as in facetious, ostentatious, pernicious, and precocious. It is important to keep in mind that several adjectives from Latin ending with this sound end in eous rather than ious. In such instances, the definitions of the words usually contain phrases such as "consisting of," "resembling," or "having the characteristic of." Examples include non–study–list words herbaceous, cetaceous, and lilaceous.

Words from Arabic: Study Words azure orange lilac tahini Islamic sequin alcove Qatari sultan macrame massage alkali artichoke algebra henna [5] serendipity mummy [1] guitar alchemy nadir tarragon nabob sugar douane adobe giraffe taj fennec mohair mattress mahal hafiz borax elixir khan azimuth talc saffron ghoul bezoar arsenal cotton Challenge Words halal lemon albatross [3] muslin alim tuna zero camphor Swahili admiral safari [4] algorithm serdab hazard magazine minaret mihrab apricot zenith tamarind salaam carmine alfalfa carafe mukhtar monsoon imam julep khor average mosque marzipan foggara gazelle [2] alcohol nenuphar diffa crimson tariff alcazar coffle

Words from Arabic: Spelling Tips

1. Double consonants are often seen in words from Arabic. More often than not, they occur in the middle of a word as in mummy, cotton, henna, foggara, coffle, tarragon, and several other words on the list. Their appearance at the end of a word (as in albatross and tariff) is usually because of the spelling conventions of English or some other language that the word passed through to get here.

2. A typical word from Arabic has three consonant sounds, with or without vowels between them. Gazelle, safari, talc, carafe, mahal, tahini, alkali, hafiz, and salaam are typical examples.

3. Note how many words on this list begin with al: This spelling can be traced to the definite article al ("the") in Arabic, which sometimes gets borrowed along with a word. Most of the time the spelling is al in English, but note el in elixir.

4. A long e sound (\ē\) at the end of a word from Arabic is often spelled with i as in safari and several other words on the list but may also be spelled with y as in mummy and alchemy.

5. The schwa sound (\ə\) at the end of a word from Arabic is usually spelled with a as in henna, tuna, algebra, alfalfa, foggara, and diffa.

Words from Asian Languages: Study Words

cummerbund jackal kama dugong juggernaut dungaree pundit guru pangolin bungalow loot cushy mahatma gunnysack kavya seersucker rupee chutney jiva jungle mongoose karma pandit oolong shampoo jute chintz nirvana typhoon yamen bangle bamboo raj patel

Words from Asian Languages: Challenge Words gymkhana gourami charpoy topeng basmati masala durwan tanha gingham raita mahout lahar mandir asana prabhu jnana bhalu batik Buddha Holi

Words from French: Study Words peloton denim collage [6] bevel barrage cachet [3] amenable menu chagrin [1] neologism expertise egalitarian pacifism beige matinee quiche [9] manicure diplomat plateau fatigue altruism motif sortie garage bureaucracy suave croquette morgue mascot foyer [4] physique [7] stethoscope parfait clementine elite vogue mystique ambulance deluxe musicale layette [2] rehearse nougat palette boutique leotard rouge [8] flamboyant dressage prairie [5] escargot baton croquet diorama crochet souvenir gorgeous entourage regime impasse denture fuselage doctrinaire finesse mirage boudoir tutu maladroit

Words from French: Challenge Words gauche renaissance repertoire protégé rapport chauvinism dossier mélange camouflage recidivist taupe blasé genre chassis poignant fête virgule détente garçon ingenue debacle raconteur croissant rendezvous fusillade [10] mayonnaise [11] ecru saboteur surveillance lieutenant

1. French nearly always spells the \sh\ sound with ch, and this spelling of the sound is very common in words from French. Chagrin, chauvinism, and crochet are examples.

2. A word from French ending with a stressed \et\ is usually spelled with ette as in layette and croquette.

3. A long a sound (\ā\) at the end of a word from French can be spelled a number of ways. One of the more common ways is with et as in cachet, croquet, and crochet.

4. One way to spell long a at the end of a word from French is with er as in dossier and in foyer. (Most Americans, however, do not pronounce the ending of foyer with a long a.)

5. A long e sound (\ē\) at the end of a word from French can be spelled with ie as in prairie and sortie.

6. Words ending with an \äzh\ sound are common in French. This sound is spelled age as in collage, mirage, dressage, garage, barrage, camouflage, entourage, and fuselage.

7. A \k\ sound at the end of a word from French is often spelled que as in physique, mystique, and boutique.

8. The \ü\ sound (as in rouge and many other words on the list) in words from French is usually spelled with ou. Sometimes, however, it is spelled with u as in tutu and ecru.

9. When the \sh\ sound occurs at the end of a word from French, there is nearly always a silent e that follows it, as in quiche and gauche.

10. Words ending with an \äd\ sound are common in French. This sound is spelled ade as in fusillade.

11. French speakers have a number of vowels that English speakers modify in pronunciation. Our way of pronouncing the French aise (pronounced \ez\ in French) is usually \āz\.

Eponyms: Study Words praline greengage quixote Fletcherism magnolia angstrom jeremiad yahoo boysenberry gardenia hector diesel hosta melba Geronimo bandersnatch poinsettia tantalize shrapnel Crusoe macadamia zinnia vulcanize mentor salmonella quisling Frankenstein Dracula newton begonia Boswell saxophone samaritan ampere tortoni Panglossian cupid

Eponyms: Challenge Words forsythia Fahrenheit philippic gnathonic madeleine narcissistic guillotine pasteurize bromeliad dahlia Bobadil Croesus mercerize Baedeker mesmerize braggadocio

Words from German: Study Words angst [1] kohlrabi feldspar cringle pretzel sitzmark poltergeist fife waltz langlauf noodle glitz haversack autobahn spareribs homburg nosh Backstein Meistersinger [3] kuchen sauerbraten inselberg pumpernickel pitchblende hinterland gestalt Bildungsroman spritz [5] verboten einkorn strudel prattle liverwurst kitsch [2] bagel zwinger streusel gestapo hamster spitz umlaut schloss cobalt realschule wanderlust rucksack nachtmusik panzer eiderdown echt vorlage [4] stollen schnauzer bratwurst graupel dachshund lederhosen knapsack Wagnerian seltzer

Words from German: Challenge Words schadenfreude [6] blitzkrieg [7] rottweiler zeitgeber dreidel gesundheit schottische pickelhaube weimaraner pfeffernuss anschluss schnecke ersatz edelweiss [8] wedel Weissnichtwo fräulein glockenspiel springerle

Words from German: Spelling Tips

1. Don't shy away from consonant clusters! German words often have combinations of three or more consonants that don't occur in thoroughly English words. Examples include ngst in angst, sch in schadenfreude, schn in schnauzer, and nschl in anschluss.

2. A \k\ sound in a word from German is usually spelled with k at the beginning of a word or syllable (as in kitsch and einkorn) and often with ck at the end of a word or syllable (as in knapsack and glockenspiel).

3. A long i sound (\ī\) usually has the spelling ei in words from German, as in fräulein, Meistersinger, zeitgeber, and several other words on the list.

4. The \f\ sound, especially at the beginning of a word, is sometimes spelled with v in German words as in vorlage. Other examples include the non–study-list words volkslied and herrenvolk.

5. The letter z is far more common in German than in English. Note that its pronunciation is not usually the same as English \z\. When it follows a t, which is common, the pronunciation is \s\ as in spritz, pretzel, blitzkrieg, and several other words on the list.

6. The \sh\ sound in words of German origin is usually spelled sch as in schadenfreude, whether at the beginning or end of a word or syllable. In schottische, you get it in both places!

7. A long e sound (\ē\) usually has the spelling ie in words from German, as in blitzkrieg and glockenspiel.

8. The letter w is properly pronounced as \v\ in German, as you hear in one pronunciation of edelweiss and in wedel and Weissnichtwo. Many German words, however, have become so anglicized that this pronunciation has vanished. Most Americans, for example, say "bratwurst," not "bratvurst."

Words from Slavic Languages: Study Words gulag Permian knish baba parka kishke cravat cossack Slav glasnost babushka nelma robot paprika Soviet kovsh samovar sable Borzoi lokshen kremlin kasha gopak feldsher troika nebbish cheka barabara slave polka sevruga aul mammoth Bolshevik trepak Siberian vampire babka tundra sputnik purga

Words from Slavic Languages: Challenge Words balalaika barukhzy commissar taiga kielbasa perestroika tokamak Beetewk tchotchke apparatchik pogrom

Words from Dutch: Study Words cockatoo howitzer scrabble ticket keelhaul crimp clapboard buckwagon harpoon bluff gruff hock furlough stipple isinglass boodle bowery floss excise guy easel cruiser blister daffodil holster hustle rabbit loiter freebooter klompen package potash waffle polder muddle scow trawl bundle handsome wintergreen uproar catkin foist trigger beleaguer splice staple stripe cruller Flemish gulden bruin yacht grabble mart skipper wiseacre huckster screen waywiser brackish frolic guilder spoor decoy ravel etch mizzle caboose tattle Netherlander school buckwheat scum dune pickle walrus trek croon snuff

Words from Dutch: Challenge Words mynheer springbok uitlander hartebeest waterzooi maelstrom hollandaise keest flense bobbejaan galjoen wainscot muishond keeshond schipperke roodebok witloof voortrekker apartheid

Words from Old English: Study Words quell [1] nostril aspen stringy barrow abide mermaid dairy dearth behest anvil workmanship bower slaughter [6] barley newfangled paddock gospel linden timely blithe furlong hassock dogged keen linseed orchard mootable mongrel nether hearth [8] womanly reckless fathom watery manhandle alderman nightingale fiend folksiness whirlpool farthing goatee worrisome belay [2] threshold earthenware roughhewn cleanser kith windily knavery dreary [3] wanton dealership hurdle bequeath loam [7] bookkeeping kipper sallow [4] yield fiery hundredth dross mattock learned icicle lithe hawthorn nosiest pinafore gristle tithe creepy yieldable earwig behoove errand hue fickle forlorn daily nestle [5] quiver gnat fennel hustings broadleaf

Words from Old English: Challenge Words heifer salve Wiccan chary mistletoe kirtle shrieval

Words from Old English: Spelling Tips

1. Old English likes double consonants following short vowels, especially if the vowel is in a stressed syllable. Examples include quell, paddock, mattock, sallow, fennel, hassock, errand, barrow, kipper, and Wiccan.

2. A long a sound (\ā\) at the end of words from Old English is nearly always spelled ay as in belay.

3. Long e (\ē\) at the end of an adjective or adverb from Old English is nearly always spelled with y. Examples include dreary, watery, windily, fiery, creepy, daily, stringy, timely, womanly, and chary.

4. Long o (\ō\) at the end of words from Old English is typically spelled with ow as in sallow and barrow. By contrast, a long o at the end of a word in many languages that English has borrowed from is simply spelled with o.

5. When the syllable \səl\ ends words from Old English, it is nearly always spelled stle, with the t being silent (as in gristle and nestle).

6. Silent gh after a vowel is common in words from Old English, as in slaughter. Silent gh usually appears after i in words like plight (not on the study list) and nightingale, and it signals that the vowel is pronounced \ī\.

7. The vowel combination oa in words from Old English is nearly always pronounced as long o (\ō\) as in loam and goatee. Examples not on the study list include shoal, boastful, and gloaming.

8. Silent e on the end or not? For words from Old English that end in either hard th (\th\) or soft th (\th\), remember this: More often than not, soft th will have a silent e at the end of the word. Consider, for example, bequeath, dearth, kith, hearth, and hundredth versus blithe, lithe, and tithe. Interestingly, the word blithe can be pronounced both ways.

Words from New World Languages: Study Words condor persimmon cacao tomato iguana quinine kona maraca hurricane [1] powwow malihini petunia kahuna bayou wikiwiki jaguar hogan coyote [3] Tuckahoe buccaneer jerky tamale pecan llama muskrat poi chipotle succotash hominy cashew skunk caucus wigwam luau woodchuck [4] wampum pampas totem chocolate mole caribou [2] mahimahi muumuu toucan toboggan hickory puma

Words from New World Languages: Challenge Words opossum hoomalimali ipecac terrapin coati menhaden ocelot jacamar sachem

Words from New World Languages: Spelling Tips

1. Remember that words settling down in English are often spelled according to English word patterns. If you're completely unsure of how to spell a word from a New World language, you can try just "sounding it out." This strategy would work for hurricane, muskrat, wigwam, and several other words on the list.

2. Take note of the language(s) a word may have traveled through on its way to English, for the path to English often gives a clue about spelling. For example, if it had been up to an English speaker, the \ü\ sound at the end of caribou would probably have been spelled oo; but the influence of French gives us the current spelling because French usually spells this sound ou.

3. Coyote shows evidence of having passed through Spanish on its way to English: The voiced final e is often seen in Spanish words. Two other examples on this list are tamale and mole.

4. Remember what folk etymology is? Words that entered English from New World languages were prime candidates for this process. If parts of a native word sounded familiar, they were often spelled by the settlers in a familiar way, as in woodchuck. Muskrat is also probably a result of folk etymology.

Words from Japanese: Study Words ninja tsunami kudzu kuruma sushi [1] haiku [3] banzai Meiji tofu futon tycoon Romaji shogun mikado [4] sumo odori honcho hibachi koan miso karate [2] origami satori Kabuki samurai geisha [5] tatami geta teriyaki wasabi kami sayonara sashimi ramen sukiyaki

Words from Japanese: Challenge Words karaoke sansei kibei nisei issei

Words from Japanese: Spelling Tips

1. A long e sound (\ē\) is very common at the end of Japanese words and is usually spelled with i as in sushi, teriyaki, wasabi, Meiji, odori, and several other words on the list.

2. In some Japanese words, long e is spelled simply with e (not i) as in karate and karaoke.

3. An \ü\ sound is also a common way to end Japanese words and is spelled with u as in haiku, tofu, and kudzu.

4. Long o (\ō\) at the end of a word from Japanese is spelled with o as in honcho, mikado, sumo and miso.

5. A long a sound (\ā\) heard in geisha is spelled ei in some words from Japanese. Four of the challenge words have this spelling of the long a sound and contain the word element sei, which means "generation."

Words from Greek: Study Words

lethargy cynical [3] geranium tragic android homonym metaphor hydrology chronic cryptic spherical polymer biopsy hypothesis xylophone [6] notochord irony academy dynamic biblical automaton pentathlon myriad ergonomic enthusiasm antibiotic epiphany mathematics synopsis diatribe apathy tachometer homogeneous etymology synergy protein odyssey hydraulic [4] amnesia rhinoceros megalopolis trauma philanthropy hyphen acme [1] hygiene democracy autopsy synonym semantics strategy [7] pyre orthodox thesaurus diagnosis herpetology aristocracy phenomenon [5] topical angelic calypso cosmos matriarch tritium patriarch protagonist endemic androcentric hierarchy acronym analysis [8] demotic character [2] paradox rhetoric geode isobar synchronous eponym hedonism asterisk misanthropy agnostic periscope eclectic sarcasm dogma geoponics melancholy ephemeral idiom asthmogenic stoic polygon thermal monotonous chronology nemesis dyslexia amphibious eulogy syntax Olympian symbiosis didactic eureka allegory macron cosmetic topography pragmatic periphery Spartan panic adamant geothermal apostrophe protocol

Words from Greek: Challenge Words

dichotomy zephyr arachnid cynosure misogynist hippopotamus paradigm philhellenism hypocrisy euphemism Eocene euthanasia diphthong anachronism gynarchy philately mnemonic metamorphosis pneumatic cacophony anomaly hyperbole Hemerocallis

Words from Greek: Spelling Tips

1. In a few words from Greek, e appears at the end of a word and has long e sound \ē\: Some examples are acme, apostrophe, and hyperbole.

2. A \k\ sound in English often represents a sound from Greek that we don't actually use, and the most common spelling of this sound in English is ch: See anachronism, arachnid, character, chronic, chronology, dichotomy, hierarchy, matriarch, melancholy, patriarch, synchronous, notochord, tachometer and gynarchy.

3. The most frequent sound that y gets in words from Greek is short i (\i\) as in acronym, calypso, cryptic, cynical, dyslexia, eponym, homonym, myriad, Olympian, synchronous, synergy, synonym, synopsis, syntax, symbiosis and polymer.

4. A long i sound (\ī\) in a word that comes from Greek is sometimes represented by y, especially after h, as in hydraulic, hydrology, hygiene, hyperbole, hyphen, hypothesis, dynamic, cynosure, gynarchy, xylophone and pyre.

5. In ancient Greek, the letter phi (pronounced \fī\) represented a breathy or "aspirated" version of the sound that is represented in English by f. Speakers of Roman-alphabet languages did not have this sound or a corresponding letter, so they substituted the \f\ sound but memorialized the original sound of phi by using ph to spell it. As a result, the English \f\ sound almost always appears as ph in words of Greek origin. Consider, for example: amphibious, apostrophe, cacophony, diphthong, epiphany, euphemism, hyphen, metamorphosis, metaphor, periphery, phenomenon, philanthropy, philately, philhellenism, spherical, topography, xylophone and zephyr. Hundreds of words in English derived from Greek show this spelling.

6. The letter o is the vowel most often used to connect two Greek word elements. If the connecting vowel sound is a schwa (\ə\) as in xylophone, notochord, orthodox, ergonomic, geoponics, and asthmogenic and you must guess at the spelling of this sound, the letter o is a very good guess. The non–study-list words hypnotist, geometric and electrolyte are among the many, many words made of Greek word elements connected by o.

7. The \j\ sound is always spelled with g in words from Greek. Why? When the \j\ sound appears in words of Greek origin, it does so as an anglicized pronunciation of a root originally pronounced with a hard g. Note that no j appears in any of the words on this list!

8. A schwa in words from Greek is occasionally spelled with y: See analysis, etymology, misogynist, odyssey and zephyr.

Words from Italian: Study Words staccato falsetto maestro salami ballot ditto bravura Parmesan confetti [1] provolone [3] fresco oratorio semolina extravaganza stucco [5] finale influenza scampi inferno scenario cavalry belladonna ballerina contrapuntal piazza gondola malaria illuminati cadenza rotunda grotto concerto pistachio cauliflower harpsichord macaroni spinet galleria allegro palmetto cantata regatta virtuosa bandit incognito [2] crescendo [4] spaghetti fiasco vendetta balcony piccolo cameo contraband portfolio ravioli sonata mascara antipasto vibrato coloratura graffiti libretto pesto credenza virtuoso aria parapet harmonica bambino

Words from Italian: Challenge Words scherzo [6] archipelago mozzarella vivace adagio charlatan garibaldi cappelletti segue maraschino ocarina pizzicato zucchini [7] paparazzo [8] prosciutto intaglio capricious fantoccini trattoria

Words from Italian: Spelling Tips

1. Long e (\ē\) at the end of a word from Italian is usually spelled with i as in confetti, graffiti, zucchini, fantoccini, cappelletti and many other words on the list. In Italian, a final i usually indicates a plural form. This is not always true, however, of Italian words in English.

2. Long o (\ō\) at the end of an Italian word is spelled with o as in incognito, stucco, virtuoso, concerto, prosciutto, pizzicato, vibrato and many other words on the list.

3. A long e sound (\ē\) at the end of a word from Italian can be spelled with e as in provolone, finale, and one pronunciation of vivace, although this spelling of the sound is less common than i.

4. The \sh\ sound has various spellings in words from Italian; a spelling it usually doesn't have is sh! It can be spelled sc as in crescendo and prosciutto or ch as in charlatan and pistachio. The spelling of the \sh\ sound in capricious is also seen in words that come from Latin—the ancestral language of Italian.

5. The \k\ sound can be spelled cc when it comes before long o (\ō\) as in stucco or when it comes before \ä\ as in staccato.

6. Another Italian spelling of \k\ is ch as in scherzo.

7. The sound \ē-nē\, common at the end of Italian words (it forms diminutives), is usually spelled ini (as in zucchini and fantoccini).

8. The double consonant zz is typically pronounced \ts\ in words from Italian, as in paparazzo, mozzarella, pizzicato, and one pronunciation of piazza.

Words from Spanish: Study Words

burrito quesadilla [3] mesa [5] cedilla embargo [1] flotilla ramada Argentine chimichanga tornado junco bolivar gazpacho flamenco [4] cafeteria amarillo mariachi [2] vigilante bongo cordovan sombrero adios castanets desperado alligator cabana mantilla [6] empanada canasta gordita oregano tomatillo bonanza peccadillo lariat diablo chinchilla filibuster chalupa pochismo machismo tortilla buffalo [7] sierra enchilada vanilla renegade olio pueblo cilantro langosta bolero hacienda fiesta alamo junta fandango anchovy barrio duenna

Words from Spanish: Challenge Words

sassafras comandante novillero rasgado punctilio embarcadero picaresque vaquero sarsaparilla rejoneador conquistador caballero

Words from Spanish: Spelling Tips

1. A long o sound (\ō\) at the end of a word is often a mark of Spanish origin, and it is nearly always spelled simply with o as in embargo and many other words on this list.

2. A long e sound (\ē\) at the end of a word of Spanish origin is usually spelled with i as in mariachi.

3. The \k\ sound is sometimes spelled with qu in words of Spanish origin. This is especially true when the vowel sound that follows is long a (\ā\), long e (\ē\), or short i (\i\). Quesadilla and conquistador (in its pronunciations with and without the \s\ sound) are examples from our list.

4. It is much more common for the \k\ sound to be spelled with c in words of Spanish origin. This is almost invariable when the vowel sound that follows is a schwa \ə\ as in canasta and embarcadero; short a (\a\) as in castanets and caballero; or long o (\ō\) as in flamenco and junco.

5. A schwa at the end of a word from Spanish is very common and is usually spelled with a as in mesa, bonanza, and several other words on the list.

6. The combination ll in Spanish words is traditionally treated as a single letter and is pronounced as consonant \y\ in American Spanish. When such words enter English, sometimes that sound persists. At other times it is pronounced just like ll would be in an English word: that is, as \l\. Some words—such as mantilla, tomatillo, amarillo, and caballero—even have two pronunciations in English. Quesadilla, tortilla, and novillero always have the \y\ pronunciation in English; chinchilla, flotilla, vanilla, peccadillo, cedilla, and sarsaparilla always have the \l\ pronunciation. Be on the lookout!

7. Note that, except for ll, double consonants in words from Spanish are not very common. Buffalo and peccadillo represent exceptions. In Spanish, buffalo has only one f and peccadillo has only one c. English spelling rules prefer two consonants as a signal that the previous vowel is short, as is the case in these words.